Moonshine Murder [Hawkman Bk 14] Read online

  “Oh, my goodness, Mr. Casey. It's been a long time since I talked with you. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” She quickly rose, and grabbed an adult size chair from near the wall and scooted it toward him. “Please have a seat.”

  “I won't take but a minute of your time. There's a young lad who stopped by my house. Says his name is Randy Hutchinson. He acted as if his family had only been in the area for a few months. Is he by any chance registered to attend here?”

  She opened a ledger on her desk and ran a finger down the margin. “I didn't think I'd heard of him, but wanted to make sure. There are many families who are home schooling now, and unfortunately, I couldn't tell you which ones. It's really cut down on our enrollment.”

  “So you've never heard of this family?”

  “No, I'm sorry I can't help you. Is there a problem?”

  “I'm not sure. However, that's not your concern. Thank you for your help.”

  She stood and took his hand. “So good to see you. Please drop by more often. Maybe even bring your falcon for the children to see. You still have one, don't you?”

  “Yes, I just might do that. I'll let you know first.”

  “Is Jennifer still writing mysteries? I hardly have time to read for pleasure with all the paper grading, and my eyes are not what they used to be.”

  Hawkman smiled. “Jennifer is still glued to her computer, compiling her stories.”

  “Give her my regards.”

  Hawkman left the school house when a loud bell rang, and the children filed back inside from the playground. He wondered, as he drove toward Medford, if pursuing this boy and his family would be worthwhile. So far, nothing bad had really happened, except the incident last night, which could have been no more than curiosity for a young lad from anywhere. Yet, something gnawed at Hawkman's gut, and he decided, when he got home from work, to venture up in the hills to see if he could find where they lived.

  When he reached the office, the first thing he did was run some test on Pretty Girl's food. He found nothing indicating it had been tainted, and felt relieved.

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  * * *

  CHAPTER THREE

  Hawkman remained in his office all day, going over the notes he needed for a court case coming up tomorrow. He didn't like testifying, but it came with the job. It also meant he'd have to wear a suit and tie, which always reminded him of his days in the Agency.

  Clyde, owner of the doughnut shop below, had the ovens at full bore, and the aroma of delicious pastries wrapped around Hawkman's nose. Finally, when he couldn't stand the temptation any longer, he went down to the bakery.

  The jingle of the bell on the entry door caused Clyde to look up, and a smile wrinkled the flour spattered face. “I wondered how long it would take before you arrived.”

  Hawkman grinned, as he noticed the dab of flour on the proprietor's nose, and his usual dark eyebrows were now white. “When you're baking, you must put your whole body and soul into the procedure.”

  Clyde laughed. “Yep, I love it.”

  “I can tell.”

  “What can I do for you?”

  Hawkman made his choices, paid, and went back to the office. Pouring himself a hot cup of coffee, he munched on the goodies as he reviewed the case. He decided to leave a little early, as he wanted to make a run up into the hills before dark, and see if he could spot the cabin where Randy said they lived.

  He unplugged the coffee pot, rinsed out his cup and placed the trash into a sack. Picking up his briefcase, he left the office, tossed the debris into the dumpster behind the building, and climbed into his vehicle. On the way home, he kept trying to picture the area west of his house where he might find a hidden cabin tucked into the trees. The only place he could figure would be near the old abandoned railroad tracks where supplies were brought in during the building of the Copco Dam back in the 1920s. Some of the workers might have thrown up a structure to stay protected from the elements and wild animals while the construction took place.

  The back road, a shortcut to Highway 66, was narrow and overgrown with weeds, plus a locked gate across a private area kept people from using this route. He might have to use the four-wheeler, as he doubted he could get through the rugged terrain with his big SUV. Tonight might be a dry run, since he hadn't been up in the area since Sam, his son, went off to college.

  His mind wandered back to those good times. Sam used to straddle the fender of the old truck with his gun, and as they drove along the road, he'd shoot ground or “digger” squirrels, as they called them. Hawkman chuckled out loud at the memories. Those were the fun days.

  He finally drove over the bridge and wondered if Jennifer had talked with the women about this new family. Leaving the Land Cruiser in the driveway, he took his briefcase and went inside. Miss Marple sat on the ledge of the big window overlooking the lake. Her gaze seemed focused past the falcon, out to the dock where her mistress stood sweeping. This surprised Hawkman, as the breezes were still too nippy in May for Jennifer to enjoy fishing. He glanced out and watched her spread red pepper around the edges. Laughing, he poked his head out the sliding glass door.

  “Are the otters messing up your fishing area again?”

  “I wish they'd move these blasted little devils back to the ocean where they belong.” She stomped up the gangplank, placed the broom on the deck, and the pepper on the table, then came inside. “They've made such a mess. If we had a warm day, I'd want to go down and fish, but I don't like wading through their poop.”

  Hawkman gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Let's hope your remedy will keep those little varmints off your favorite place.”

  “I'm not sure anything will work, but it's worth a try.”

  They walked over to the kitchen bar together. “Did you have the meeting today with the women's firehouse auxiliary?”

  “Yes, I have a few tidbits to tell you.”

  “Should I hear you out, or make a run to the area before dark?”

  “I think you need to listen to this first.”

  He sat down at the kitchen bar. “Before I forget, Pretty Girl's food was clean. Now, I'm all ears.”

  “This mysterious family took up most of the discussion. We barely had time for the business part. It appears several of the members have encountered one or more of the Hutchinsons.”

  Hawkman raised a brow. “How many are there?”

  “One of the women met Randy and described him as very charming. However, she couldn't get a straight answer out of the boy about where he lived, except in a cabin up in the hills. The same thing he told us.” Jennifer raised a hand. “Oh, and he asked her where Mr. Hawkman lived.”

  “Interesting.”

  “Then one of the other ladies saw an older boy, who appeared to be around sixteen. He took off when she came out of the house.”

  “What was he doing?”

  “Hanging around her chicken coup.”

  “How does she know he belongs to the same family?”

  “She doesn't, but she'd never seen him before.”

  “Doesn't mean a thing.”

  “Except, he headed west at breakneck speed.”

  “On foot?”

  “No, on a bicycle.”

  “It's still hard to connect the two boys as possible brothers. With school out in certain parts of the country, he could have been a visitor.”

  Jennifer nodded. “True. However, several of the women have seen these two boys at one time or another riding around. A couple said they were missing a few things in their yards.”

  “Such as?”

  “A small black pot on her front porch she used for plants. Another said she had her canvas wood carrier by the back door with a couple of logs in it to use the next day. When she went to get it the morning, she couldn't find it.”

  “It sounds like we might have a family of thieves among us.”

  Jennifer shrugged. “Hard to say. These women could be absentminded.”

  Hawkman grinned.
“Very possibly.”

  “Anything else I might find of interest?”

  “Yes. Ike and June were out taking a walk; they noticed a narrow plume of smoke coming through the trees to the West. They knew there were no homes in that area, but it looked like it came from a chimney. Worried about a forest fire, they kept an eye on it for several minutes, then it dissipated. They have no idea what caused it, and remain baffled.”

  “Wonder if they've seen it again?”

  “She didn't mention they had.”

  Hawkman rose from the bar stool. “Looks like we have a mystery on our hands. I'd thought about taking the four-wheeler out and searching the area near the old railroad track, but I think I'll just take a dry run up the back area in the Land Cruiser and do a little scouting first.”

  “I'll go with you.”

  “Okay.”

  Jennifer threw on a lightweight jacket and they left in Hawkman's vehicle. As they drove westward, Hawkman told her about the memory he had of Sam on the fender of his truck shooting digger squirrels.

  She laughed. “We had some fun times with Sam as he grew up.”

  The road became more difficult to maneuver and finally Hawkman stopped. “If we go much farther, I won't have a place to turn around. We're not far from the gate. Why don't we get out and hike to it? Maybe we'll see some signs of life.”

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  * * *

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Hawkman and Jennifer trudged up the hill, each looking for signs of human activity on the ground or nearby.

  Jennifer stopped to catch her breath. “It will be hard to see any bike trail, unless the boys use the same one. The weeds would pop right back up if they didn't go over the same spot each trip. I don't see a thing indicating people have walked or ridden up this way in a long time”

  Hawkman stopped, and wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve. “I think you're right. It depends on where the cabin is located. I figure it's near the old railroad tracks, and used to house the workers when they built the Copco Dam. Since the boys always head west, we're probably too far north.”

  “Kids will find the shortest route to wherever they're going.”

  “Let's head back. No sense in hiking any farther.”

  They trooped back down the hill to the SUV, and went home.

  Jennifer bounded out of the vehicle. “I enjoyed our adventure, even though it didn't produce any answers. It's been a long time since I've been up that road. Maybe you can take the four-wheeler up the other way tomorrow.”

  “Can't. Have a court date; but maybe the end of the week. I expect the trial to last only one day.”

  She snapped her fingers. “Oh, that's right. I need to check your suit and see if it needs pressing.”

  Hawkman threw up his hands. “Honey, don't worry about it. The wrinkles will fall out the minute I put it on. Besides, who's going to notice?”

  His tirade fell on deaf ears as she'd already headed for the bedroom, soon to come out with the garments over her arm. She set up the ironing board, had the suit, shirt and tie back on the hanger, before he could say much more.

  “Man, you're fast.”

  She smiled, as she put everything away. “You may call me the miracle woman.”

  He grinned and shook his head. “I'm lost for words.”

  She stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on the chin. “It's because you agree.”

  * * * *

  Tuesday morning, Hawkman left the house dressed in a suit, but carried a duffle bag packed with more comfortable clothes. He drove straight to the courthouse, took his seat in the room, and waited for several hours before the lawyer called him to the stand.

  Once he testified, and the trial ended, he drove back to the office. He thought about his testimony against Cindy Brown, the dangerous young woman in his last case. He knew she needed help, plus deserved punishment for her actions with the compound bow. It relieved him to hear the judge sentence her to mandatory psychiatric care and other restrictions. The girl definitely had a problem.

  Since Hawkman spent most of his day in court, he could hardy wait to change clothes. He stuffed the suit into the small suitcase, knowing Jennifer wouldn't be too happy; but he'd forgotten to bring any hangers. Once comfortable, he made a few phone calls, then left for home.

  When he walked in the door, he found Jennifer at the kitchen bar, phone glued to her ear and writing on a sheet of paper. Her intent expression gave him the gut feeling something serious had happened.

  He waited patiently, curious to know the origin of the call and the purpose. When she hung up, she turned to him.

  “I just got a report you'll be interested to hear.”

  “What about?”

  “It could involve the mysterious new family. You'll have to decide.”

  “I'm listening.”

  “What's strange is we didn't hear one of these happenings since our bedroom faces the lake, and we usually have the sliding glass door open.”

  “I'm game, what event?”

  “The taking of one of the store boats from the pier two nights ago. They found it floating in the middle of the lake.”

  “How does any one know it just didn't come loose from its mooring?”

  “Because it was late when Ike heard a motor and looked out his window. As you know, we seldom hear boats at night. If we do, they usually have lights. All he could see was a silhouette of a person puttering down the lake.”

  “It's baffling; like you say, we didn't hear the motor start up. However, he could have rowed out a distance before starting it. At least the person didn't wreck the boat. Maybe he just needed a ride home.”

  “Are you making excuses for a person stealing a boat?”

  Hawkman reared back his head. “Of course not. There must be a reason for this strange behavior. Obviously, he had no intent of taking the boat home. Instead, he just let it float away, knowing it would be found.”

  Jennifer nodded. “Okay. Have it your way.” She glanced up at her husband. “The next incident also occurred at night, and there was probably no crime committed, but it's odd.”

  “I'm ready.”

  “Marjorie Jones, who lives in the last house west of us, couldn't sleep last night. She lay in bed reading when she heard the clop of horse's hooves and rolling wheels going down the road. She thought it odd to hear such a thing at eleven o'clock. So she turned out her light and peeked through the window. To her amazement, a man and a woman, who appeared to have a baby in her arms, with two boys in the back, were riding in this old wagon with wooden wheels drawn by a horse, going west. She'd never seen these people before.”

  Hawkman scratched his head. “They must have gone right by our house, too. If they went to town to shop, they'd have left in the wee hours in the morning and no one would have seen them depart. These are some strange stories you've hit me with, combined with the others from the ladies’ auxiliary. I feel I'm living in another era.”

  “Me, too.”

  “It actually sounds like we've got homesteaders living in the area. What bothers me is there's no land available. It's all privately owned. So how are they getting away with it, if that's what they're doing?”

  “You think they might have permission to live on the land?”

  “Hard to say. They're certainly being evasive. I'm definitely going to find the cabin and talk to them.”

  “Should you go alone?”

  “What danger could I get into by dropping in to say hello?”

  Jennifer frowned. “I don't know, but I don't have a good feeling about the venture.”

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  * * *

  CHAPTER FIVE

  * * * *

  Hawkman and Jennifer lay in bed, wrapped in each other's arms. He kissed her on the nose. “You're one hot little mama.”

  She laughed and ran her hand down his chest. “You're not so bad either.” Then she raised up on her elbow. “I want to go with you to find the cabin.”
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  “Is that what you've been thinking about during our love session?”

  She grinned. “Not entirely. But what about it?”

  “It's not easy riding two on the Polaris.”

  “We've done it before on the four-wheeler.”

  “We were on a trail. I'm not sure there's anything but rough terrain where I'm going. What if it proves to be dangerous?”

  “If both of us went, we could make it look like we're just making a house call to welcome a new neighbor. As a precaution, I'll carry my gun.”

  “I don't know, Hon, It rubs against my grain.”

  “If you go bounding in there alone, you might get shot. With a woman aboard, maybe the person would have a second thought about shooting.”

  “I want to make it a friendly call. My whole idea is to find the location of this place, then go to the court house and look up who owns the piece of property. I'll contact them, and see if these people are there legally.”

  “What if they aren't?”

  “I'll talk to the sheriff, and let him handle it.”

  “You think they have electricity?”

  “I doubt it. They're probably cooking over the fireplace, which means sparks from the chimney could ignite a forest fire. Could be a dangerous situation.”

  “Back to the original discussion. Can I go?”

  He laughed and pulled her into his arms. “Do I have a choice?”

  “Not really.” She snuggled against his neck. “Are we going tomorrow?”

  “What are your plans for the day?”

  “Staying at home.”

  “Let's go in the morning. I don't have any pressing business at work. So if we find the place, I'll have time to run to the courthouse; and find out the recorded proprietor.”

  She yawned. “We better get to sleep. Tomorrow will be a full day, and we probably should get up early.”

  * * * *

  Wednesday morning, Hawkman and Jennifer donned jeans, boots and carried light jackets over their arms to the kitchen. They had breakfast, then Hawkman slipped on the wind-breaker and strolled to the side yard, where he drove the four-wheeler out from under the lean-to. Jennifer stood at the entry until he stopped in front of her, then she hopped onto the back.